With the new season quickly approaching, FC Barcelona’s transfer options seem to be gaining focus. If, and it’s a big if, you can believe the reports circulating in the Catalan press, the club’s transfer interests are moving away from signing a pure defender, and seem to be circling around the idea of reinforcing the midfield. This shift in focus has arisen from the promising pre-season performances of Marc Bartra, and the very real possibility that Eric Abidal will actually continue his playing career with the team. Another complication has been Liverpool’s high asking price for Daniel Agger, said to be in the neighborhood of 28 million Euros.

These developments leave the club looking at filling the void left by the departure of Seydou Keita as an off-season priority. Right now, the most promising candidate for this position is Arsenal midfielder Alex Song, although, as we reported last week, there are other possibilities. One part of the transfer story that is often overlooked is that the club will receive a huge boost by the return of last season’s serious injury victims; if Villa, Fontas and Abidal can make even a modest contribution to the squad, it will add depth in crucial positions.